i'm going to fill this thread up with random posts about gear that i especially like or dislike. it is the gearhead forum afterall. discuss my opinions or add your own as you see fit.

softshell jackets:

if you havn't gotten on this boat yet, get with the program. i shopped around like crazy trying to find one that A: fit like a glove and B: didn't cost a fortune. i settled on a north face apex jacket that i picked up on clearance for $170. its fits perfect, its warm, it breaths sooooooo well and its in fact allot more weather resitant that i thought it would be. the fabric is called north face 'apex' but in a side by side comparison with schoeller wb400 i couldn't tell the diffrence. i'm totally in love with this jacket.

Grivel 360's. This may be obvious but I got to try these screws a couple weeks ago for the first time and they absolutely rock. The known problem with racking, i think, is not a big enough deal to deter from the ease of placing and the ability to place in small divots/corners. Also, the couple BD screws that I have weren't as sharp from the factory as the grivels, and there was no comparison to which places with more ease.

i really like lightweight functionally minamalist stuff. this pack fits that bill perfectly. perfect size for typical trad cragging, and checks in from the factory at about 2.5lbs. i knocked another 2.5oz. off it by getting rid of the waste belt gear loops, other stuff i didn't need. i've been lugging this thing around for close to two years now and i don't have a single complaint about it. its even under $100.

Extra Long (18"++) Yates Adjustable Daisies. I love them when they're long. You can move so much faster and better.

Stove top espresso machines. Makes me human. Forget the plunger things, I'd rather have a demi tasse of strong good coffee or two and call it good. Plus they're hard to break and you might be able to use them as an anchor. :lol:

GiGi or Plaquette Magique. They rule. Easier to use to belay a pair of seconds on an autolock than any of the new fangled devices, lighter and just fine at belaying a leader. Plus nice rounded edges and they last forever.

The new DMM wired nuts, Mammut Dynema slings, and the W.C. Helium carabiners both seem so significantly better than anything which use to be out there IMO.

Stuff that sucks: the reverse thread Chouinard carabiners (one of which came close to helping me die), Americas dependence on gas and the political will to assist in conservation, Olympus cameras if you lose the software, and hand drills when you lose the drift pin.

under $100 bucks, under 1lb, seams pretty damn stormproof thus far and stuffs into its own pocked which can also easily accomidate a hat and some light gloves. the ultimate little epic prevention packet.

the jetboil:

finally a stove built for climbers. i havn't taken my msr out of the house since i bought this thing. unquestionably one of the coolest outdoor gadgets ever created.

the snowpeak titanium spork:

like $10 at rei. jits a spork, made from titanium. i think the keeper sling i tied to it weighs more than the spoon itself. and its a spork, so thats just plain cool, and everything is cooler when its made from Ti.

i absolutly hate my sterling 9.8 x 70m rope. its the snarly, nasty, knotted rope straight out of hell. every time i've used it we've had to untie at belay stations and get the kinks out. i've tried all the tricks, i dunno what its freekin deal is.

its new name is 'haul line' and only becouse i bought one of the those petzl swivles.

which is pretty stupid in itself, to spend $50 on a swivel just so i can use the rope i hate.

for some reason I like trango classic wiregates. They clip nice, they're not expensive, they're likely heavier than other stuff, but I just like em, dangit. maybe it's sentiment! http://beyondfleece.com i also like. good service, prompt emails, nice people, accomidating. And their stuff is SUPER nice. I only have a hood, mind you, but it's superb.

http://mec.ca is a great place to buy canadian made stuff that cheaper than the "big name" made in china stuff. Beautiful.

Like catagory: my BD talon, very smart tool, 3 in 1, and great price too. Sux catagory: BD vario chest harness. The x in on back lets the webbing slide through to easily, it ends up lop-sided front to back or left to right. I look like a woman thats fussing with her bra all the time.

the new B-52: It's all but replaced my Reverso...I'll beat that up on 11mm ropes when I'm out with groups. The b-52 has worked well for me for everything from TR belaying on 11mm, to lead belaying and autoblocking on 8.?mm half ropes.

Metolius PowerCams: perfect spring tension, nice color coding, durable as hell, easy to place, good bite to the teeth, rangefinder system (form your own opinions) :arrow: cheaper than camalots, less walking than camalots, narrower head width than camalots, easier to place then camalots (due to U-stem design....guess what your gonna in the other section :wink: )

Grivel 360's: best f*ckin screw on the market, as of now. great thread design, piece of cake to start, and the best placement options of any screw made yet.

BD Hotwires: not the lightest or biggest carabiner...but smooth action, nice radius for your rope, and a good size for clipping with or without gloves.

CM Darts: best crampon I've found. Raking points, optional heel spur, fantastic mono-point design, minimal weight, option to bolt on. I have yet to see a crampon that comes close for vertical ice and mixed climbing.

EMS 0 degree down bag: closed out before they started puting Pertex on the shells....775 fill, got it dirt cheap, packs down smaller than a volleyball.

Bad Gear....................

Petzl Caldris: I'm gonna catch flack for this, but I hate this stupid thing. It's a pain to put on over boots (even worse over crampons)...not enough padding for skinny old me...no haul loop or even a spot to clip a chalkbag (had to rig something up) and I'm not a huge fan of the gear loops. Will be replaced by a Metolius Deluxe safetech, soon.

Boreal Ace's: Worse design for a heel cup I've ever seen...If it wasn't my first pair of shoes, I would have never bought them. I can't wear these things for more than 20mins at a time, and my toes are straight in them...I slit the rubber in the heel cup to try and make it bearable...still sucks.

5.10 Huecos- the "plum" ones. Fit my feet perfect. just got a NEW pair on eBay for $35.00 w00t

DMM Wallnuts- just easier to place than the others. now in pretty colors :roll:

Mountain Hardwear Trango 2- the greatest mountaineering tent EVER. a bit heavy, but super, super bomber. I regreted not having one on my Pakistan trip I bought another one on my return and sold my MSR tent.

Petzl Williams Screwgate. Just a terrific biner - beatiful and beefy. I couldn't help but by 4, but its most useful application is as a masterpoint, and for that, you only need one per cordalette. The other two, don't see much action these days.

Trango Superfly lockers - when an HMS biner isn't a necesity, these things are the poop, and are rediculously light. Carry more lockers on lead w/out the weight trade-off.

BD ATC-guide - this monkey's gone to heaven. (sorry reverso, its to the closet with you)

i absolutly hate my sterling 9.8 x 70m rope. its the snarly, nasty, knotted rope straight out of hell. every time i've used it we've had to untie at belay stations and get the kinks out. i've tried all the tricks, i dunno what its freekin deal is.

its new name is 'haul line' and only becouse i bought one of the those petzl swivles.

which is pretty stupid in itself, to spend $50 on a swivel just so i can use the rope i hate.

god, i hate that rope too. barely lasted a season. I had nothing but problems, kinked on me too and wore out too quickly from one trip to red rocks. It's been cut up into pieces and i use it to tether my dog in the yard.

i'll add another vote for the Trango B52 belay device. I've had several and never been so happy with one. i can't wait to try out the newer model.

another vote for the mammut 8mm slings. using anything else would be foolish, and now that i've had them for quite a while i'm impressed with the durability.

the black diamond viper ice tools. great swing, nice weight, awsome picks, comfortable on the hands, excellent leashing system and uber versitle. alpine, mixed, waterfall cragging, leashed or leashless. if you only own one tool this should be at the top of the shortlist.

Arcteryx RT 45 pack - I originally bought it 'cause it was on sale, but I've been very happy with my purchase. Very comfortable suspension, completely watertight in the rain, holds just the right amount for hauling my shit on long approaches.

Plastic insulated french-press mugs - I don't actually own one yet, but what a great idea, I need to get one.